My Forum

Many thanks Stuart and Frank for the posts - this has really put my mind at ease believe it or not! I am prone to getting over focused when running and started to get nervous about getting frustrated during the marathon and throwing the race plan out of the window.

Kris - you may well of unwittingly opened a can of worms which will keep the forum filled for weeks, race etiquette is always a hot topic so i'll get the ball rolling;

Personally the main issues for me is people who go off like a mad thing only to stop abruptly and groups, usually pairs, of runners deep in conversation oblivious to everyone else who will realise that a shoe lace is undone and stop dead without any warning - a nerve may well of been touched!!

In my opinion a glance over the shoulder is usually all that is needed, if someone is right on your heels move off to one side and if you intend to walk move as far over to the side as possible. The glance over your shoulder will also alert the runner behind you that 'something' may occur. It's nothing major, maybe if the person behind appears to be deep in concentration then getting eye contact will do it, it's all really down to common sense, regardless of the pace you run at, having your rythum disrupted without warning can be a real headache.

Hi guys, I am back to training now after a bad spell with a foot injury. I was begining to doupt if I was going to get enough training in and thought about pulling out, but my foot is a little better now so I can run again.

Back up to 50m per week consisting of a 20m Sat run, a track session and a tempo run and 2 other steady runs with occaisional split runs. Hoping for around 3hr to 3-15 are any of you guys in the 3hr pen?

take care all

Hi nelblade,

Before Christmas the aim was to break 3hr as my previous marathons have been around the 3.10 - 3.15 mark. However this is my first FLM and talking to previous runners they have said to forget PB's. The course is good but due to the shear numbers of runners, people pulling up right in front of you, running across your path (runners and spectators) etc etc PB's go out the window. A few also commented that they got really frustrated, tried to speed up to get out of the crowds and hence got blown up by the end. Is this the case? Is it just a marathon for fun, which is fine as that is what i'm expecting, or are PB's possible? If so i need to retune my trainning.

Don't worry about the run - there will always be someone behind you at the end. Invariably a lot will dash off, don't go with them! Resist the urge and stick at your usual pace and you'll be seeing most of them again at the 7mile marker if not before. Treat it just like a trainning run and basically that is just what it is - remember the big picture it's just practise for the big one.

If you can use the H/M's to develop a little 'race craft' - not going too fast at the beginning, good constant pacing then this will be invaluable to you in London, best of luck.

James - I'd suggest using chunks from the VICTA leaflets - what the cash can buy and who has benefited in the past. As a business owner myself knowing where my cash is going and what it will be used for is always important. Also send loads!! - my nephew is going to Nepal to help the local community and for every 10 he sent out he got on average 1 response and about 1 in 30 coughed up for a charity auction that he was raising.

Well done for doing 22miles, the advice i've been given for recovery after such a long run is two clear days of rest. Day3 - a swim or low impact training like cycling/step machine in the gym etc. The following day ease back into running with a 5/7 miler followed by a 10 miler a day or so after.

Living in Kent the hills are a big issue here aswell but they do help to keep you injury free as they keep your weight forward onto the balls of your feet and loads of people recommend using hill sprint work to increase stamina and endurance - cold comfort though when you hit a 1 in 8 sixteen miles into your run!

Some great responses and i'd like to back up Pug here. Don't read too much into the figures themselves (unless they are so extreme that seeing a Doc would be a good idea) keep as many variables as constant as possible, time of day, clothing etc etc then just use the figures as a benchmark and if they are going in the right direction job done. The best evidence is the response from people you know to how good you look, looking in the mirror and how you feel/increases in performance.

Now this is vital to losing weight and fat as it so often gets overlooked......Ultimately your body only cares about keeping it self alive (thankfully) so you have to cheat it a little to make it let go of the fat - basically lead it in to a sense of security (but not a false sense). The main thing is hydration - 3L a day of water not including water required during trainning will help to shed fat alot. If your body feels that it will get water on a regular basis it won't retain additional stores and with the excess water loss goes a load of fat aswell - for some reason. Strangely as a result your body will be more hydrated and your % water weight will go up. Bit like a camel - fatty humps filled of water cos their bodies know that it's not getting any for a long time.